Storage apparatuses have been used to store energetic fluids (e.g., natural gas). Other storage methods (e.g., storage of heated fluid or pressurized fluid) are also known. The storage apparatuses are provided with fluid via throughflow apparatuses (e.g., fluid is charged into or extracted from the storage apparatus. This type of storage apparatus may also be referred to as a buffer store.
In conventional storage apparatuses, charging and/or extraction is placed under closed-loop control by using a closed-loop control apparatus. The closed-loop control apparatus makes the desired throughflow available for the charging operation or the extraction operation. In this case, the desired throughflow is directly prescribed to the closed-loop control unit. A number of throughflow apparatuses may be provided with conventional storage apparatuses. The closed-loop control apparatus of conventional storage apparatuses may perform closed-loop control on individual throughflow apparatuses with regard to the partial volumetric flow through the respective throughflow apparatus. Thus, the closed-loop control apparatus is designed for computing algorithms in order, as a function of the desired total throughflow quantity, to select the respective throughflow apparatus for the charging operation and the extraction operation, and to perform closed-loop control on the respective volumetric flow. Inputting new values for the closed-loop control while the process is running is difficult, since it involves intervention in running processes (e.g., running computing algorithms).
The flexibility of conventional storage apparatuses during control of the charging operation and extraction operation is limited. Closed-loop control uses a high computational outlay to be undertaken by the closed-loop control of the charging operation and the extraction operation. Thus, the closed-loop control apparatus of conventional storage apparatuses is complex and cost-intensive.